Hans Arp Sculpture Stolen from Galerie Ludorff Booth at ART COLOGNE
The Düsseldorf-based gallery and local authorities are appealing to fairgoers and the international art community for information following the theft of the €145,000 bronze work on the final day of the fair.
A 1962 bronze sculpture by the renowned Franco-German artist Hans (Jean) Arp was stolen from Galerie Ludorff’s booth during the closing hours of ART COLOGNE on Sunday, November 8, 2026.
According to a statement released by the Düsseldorf gallery, the theft occurred in a narrow 15-minute window between 4:55 p.m. and 5:10 p.m. at Booth C-121. Local police were immediately alerted to the scene, and a formal criminal complaint has been filed.
The missing work, titled S’élevant (Sich aufrichtend / Rising), is a gold-colored bronze measuring 28 cm (11 inches) in height and valued at €145,000. On view throughout the fair’s November 4–8 run, the sculpture is an emblematic piece from Arp’s late oeuvre, characterized by biomorphic, organic curves that embody the upward motion suggested by its title.
In an official appeal, Galerie Ludorff described the incident as a deeply regrettable shadow cast over an otherwise successful and enjoyable edition of the fair, expressing hope that the work will be recovered unharmed.
The gallery and Cologne police are asking members of the art trade, collectors, and the wider public to remain vigilant should the piece be offered for sale in the future. Additionally, investigators are specifically seeking visual documentation from the final afternoon of the fair: anyone who visited Booth C-121 on Sunday, November 8, between 4:55 p.m. and 5:10 p.m. and took photographs or videos is urged to come forward, as even minor background details could prove vital to the investigation.